Veifa

Old Norse Dictionary - veifa

Meaning of Old Norse word "veifa" in English.

As defined by the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse to English dictionary:

veifa Old Norse word can mean:

veifa: ð, (mod. að), part. veifat, FmS. vii. 154 (in a verse); [A. S. wâfjan; Engl. wave]:—to wave, vibrate; veifði hann slæðunum, Nj. 190; veifa svipu yfir höfuð sér, Lv. 30; veifa höfðinu, Þiðr. 235; Ormr veifði honum um sik sem hreyti-speldi, Fb. i. 532; í því veifði hann sverðinu at Grími, Dropl. 36; veifði hann ræði, he pulled the oar, Hým. 25; veifa vængjum, to wave with the wings, FaS. ii. 137 (in a verse); veifa e-m sem barni, FmS. vii. 32; þeim var veift sólar-sinnis, Þorf. Karl. 422; veifði hann Mjöllni fram, Hým. 36; veifa héðni um höfuð e-m, of an enchantress, Eb. 92, cp. Ísl. ii. 76; hón veifði kofra sínum, Vígl. 63 new Ed. In the fishing-places in the south of Icel. (Skaptafells sýsla) a man stands on the shore waving a flag to tell the fishermen if it is safe to land or not; this is called ‘veifa,’ or ‘veifa frá,’ to wave off, i. e. to signal them not to try (Mr. Jón Guðmundsson).

veifa: 2. metaph., til þess kenndu vér þér þetta vers; at þú veifðir því þá er þér líkaði, Mar.

veifa: II. reflex., veifask um lausum hala, to ‘wag a loose tail’, be free to do as one pleases, Sturl. iii. 30 (see hali 2).

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᚢᛁᛁᚠᛅ
Younger Futhark runes were used from 8th to 12th centuries in Scandinavia and their overseas settlements

Abbreviations used:

A. S.: Anglo-Saxon.

cp.: compare.

Engl.: English.

f.: feminine.

gl.: glossary.

Icel.: Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.

i. e.: id est.

l.: line.

m.: masculine.

mod.: modern.

part.: participle.

pl.: plural.

S.: Saga.

v.: vide.

metaph.: metaphorical, metaphorically.

reflex.: retlexive.

Works & Authors cited:

Dropl.: Droplaugar-sona Saga. (D. II.)

Eb.: Eyrbyggja Saga. (D. II.)

Fas.: Fornaldar Sögur. (C. II.)

Fb.: Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

Hým.: Hýmis-kviða. (A. I.)

Karl.: Karla-magnús Saga. (G. I.)

Lv.: Ljósvetninga Saga. (D. II.)

Nj.: Njála. (D. II.)

Vígl.: Víglundar Saga. (D. V.)

Þiðr.: Þiðreks Saga. (G. I.)

Þorf. Karl.: Þorfinns Saga Karlsefnis. (D. II.)

Mar.: Maríu Saga. (F. III.)

Sturl.: Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)

➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

Also available in related dictionaries:

This headword also appears in dictionaries of other languages descending from Old Norse.